Vampire Books Are Changing Teen Minds

It’s a potentially sucky situation. The vampire craze in teen literature – exemplified by the “Twilight” book series – could be affecting the dynamic workings of the teenage brain in ways scientists don’t yet understand.

“We don’t know exactly how literature affects the brain, but we know that it does,” said Maria Nikolajeva, a Cambridge University professor of literature. “Some new findings have identified spots in the brain that respond to literature and art.”

Scientists, authors and educators met in Cambridge, England, Sept. 3-5 for a conference organized by Nikolajeva to discuss how young-adult books and movies affect teenagers’ minds.

“For young people, everything is so strange, and you cannot really say why you react to things – it’s a difficult period to be a human being,” Nikolajeva told LiveScience. The conference, she said, brought together “people from different disciplines to share what we know about this turbulent period we call adolescence.”

Sessions included “What Is It About Good Girls and Vampires?” addressing the huge popularity of Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” series and other vampire-themed books.

Brain Science

Teenagers’ minds are more susceptible than adult minds to influence – from peers and experiences as well as from books, movies and music, researchers say.

“What we have learned over the past decade is that the teenage brain processes information differently than a more mature brain,” said conference presenter Karen Coats, a professor of English at Illinois State University who integrates neuroscience into her research. “Brain imaging shows that teens are more likely to respond to situations emotionally, and they are less likely to consider consequences through rational forethought.”…

And incidentally, I’d prefer that teenagers were reading uh good vampire books, but hey, at least they’re reading.

Anonymous

Why is this news. Take out all the needless prepositions and all it says it that Teens are easily influenced. books can be a source of some of that influence in a teens life, and these books are about vampires.

Great reporting Fox News, keep up the journalistic integrity you are known for.

hunter349

Why is this news. Take out all the needless prepositions and all it says it that Teens are easily influenced. books can be a source of some of that influence in a teens life, and these books are about vampires.

Great reporting Fox News, keep up the journalistic integrity you are known for.

Andrew

What does it say about a culture when its major sex symbols are blood-sucking undead?

Andrew

What does it say about a culture when its major sex symbols are blood-sucking undead?

Anonymous

Vampires suck, FOX blows……

GoodDoktorBad

Vampires suck, FOX blows……

Ironaddict06

Now that many kids have found books they like to read, Scientists have a problem with what they read.

Ironaddict06

Now that many kids have found books they like to read, Scientists have a problem with what they read.

DeepCough

Why hasn’t Twilight been met with the same incendiary rancor as the Harry Potter series?

DeepCough

Why hasn’t Twilight been met with the same incendiary rancor as the Harry Potter series?

A Bad Joke

How ironic is it that a devout Mormon wrote a series of books about romance with the undead?

A Bad Joke

How ironic is it that a devout Mormon wrote a series of books about romance with the undead?

Anonymous

From certain points of view this ‘Vampire Chic’ trend is an unalloyed good. My God, were it not for necrophilia, the likes of Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh would never get laid!

Liam_McGonagle

From certain points of view this ‘Vampire Chic’ trend is an unalloyed good. My God, were it not for necrophilia, the likes of Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh would never get laid!